Local Growth Depends on Intellectual Infrastructure and Cultural Uniqueness

The Jan. 9-10 Optic quotes a researcher as saying that New Mexico will grow in the future, but that the growth (and jobs) will be concentrated in urban areas -- places "associated with rich intellectual infrastructure or that are otherwise culturally unique." Can Las Vegas capture a bit of that growth?

We are the largest urban center north and east of Santa Fe. We have more people per capita engaged in higher education than anywhere else (in the state?), and we are rich in a wide variety of cultural resources. Yet we struggle. We lag in communications and transportation infrastructure. Our housing and retail sectors lack dynamism. Our reputation lags behind our actuality and way behind our potential. What possibilities are we missing that could help us display ourselves to the best advantage and turn an aura of near stagnation into an aura of improvement and growth? Not to be another Santa Fe or another Taos, but to be the best Las Vegas we can be.